


Dog Sitter

by Amethystina



Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Kaiju, And has lots of flirting via texts and phone calls, Because I love Yancy, But at least the boys are having fun, Chuck in particular makes me want to coo, M/M, Modern Setting, This is just cute and fluffy, Yancy Lives
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-24
Updated: 2015-10-24
Packaged: 2018-04-27 20:55:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,120
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5063740
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amethystina/pseuds/Amethystina
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Chuck isn't a very trusting person — especially when it comes to who gets to watch Max. Problem is, Chuck has run out of options for potential dog sitters and Mako assures him that her friend Raleigh is very reliable, so he might just have to trust this guy. Grudgingly.</p><p>When Chuck eventually meets Raleigh, well, he is admittedly quite distracted by how handsome he is. It's probably bad manners to want to fuck your dog sitter, right?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dog Sitter

**Author's Note:**

> [DaggerStiletto](http://daggerstiletto.tumblr.com/) posted an [open writing prompt](http://daggerstiletto.tumblr.com/post/109936069821/writing-prompt-105) that I really wanted to use and in lack of a better idea, this is what I went for. I literally had no idea what I was doing most of the time, but the result is pretty adorable so bear with me here. Cute is always good, right?
> 
> Also, I love Max. Enjoy!

 

"Fuck the cold, fuck your friend, and fuck my inability to say no," Chuck grumbled while raising his shoulders higher, pathetically trying to shield himself from the cold. His nose was buried in his scarf and he had his hands shoved into his pockets, but not even that seemed to help.

Mako gave him an unimpressed look that he inarguably deserved. He usually knew better than to use that kind of language in front of her.

"It is to help _you_ that we're here," she pointed out, which only made Chuck more annoyed. Mostly because she was right, dammit.

Still, that didn't mean that he had to like the fact that it was freezing cold outside and that he, Mako, and Max stood waiting at the edge of the local park for one of her friends to show. Max didn't seem nearly as bothered by the low temperature as Chuck was, far more interested in sniffing and nudging the bag at Chuck's feet. It contained Max's bowls, some toys, his blanket, and enough dog food and treats to last three days.

"I can't believe you talked me into handing my dog over to a complete stranger," Chuck groused, wishing that he had at least had a hat to keep his head and ears warm. He knew that the latter had to be getting painfully red by then.

October wasn't usually this cold and the sudden shift had taken most people by surprise. Chuck in particular was not equipped to handle this kind of weather. He was from _Australia_ , for heaven's sake. This was outright torture; it had even _snowed_ last night.

"He isn't a stranger." Mako maintained her calm, looking like she didn't mind the cold at all. Then again, she was dressed in a long, dark coat and had remembered to bring gloves, a scarf, and a cute little hat. She had to be feeling pretty cosy — unlike Chuck, who was freezing his fucking arse off.

And she was only partly right — _she_ might know the guy they were meeting, but Chuck didn't.

This Raleigh was someone Mako had met about a year ago, if Chuck remembered correctly, but he had never felt inclined to meet the bloke himself. Chuck might have known Mako since they were kids, but they weren't so tightly knit that they had to introduce every new friend they made. Granted that Mako and Raleigh seemed to have become nothing short of besties, but it had been difficult to arrange a meeting what with their schedules.

Chuck and Mako were both busy with their studies, while Raleigh was supposedly working. Chuck hadn't bothered to remember with what. He _did_ know that the guy was older than both him and Mako, but whether or not it would make him qualified to take care of Chuck's dog was still up for discussion.

Not that Chuck had all that many options to choose from.

He had to go on a job interview two states away, not because he actually wanted the job, but because his supervisors insisted. They had been the ones to arrange the meeting because they thought Chuck had 'potential' and would find it to be 'a good learning experience,' or some lame bullshit like that. Chuck wasn't convinced, since he was more interested in actually building and designing things than he would ever be in working for a big engineering company, but for once he decided not to be too stubborn about it.

He couldn't be sure that his grades wouldn't suffer if he refused.

This meant that he would be gone for roughly two days and, since he couldn't bring Max — not without it being a bigger inconvenience than either of them would enjoy — he had to find someone who could take him in.

If Chuck got to decide, he wouldn't hand Max over to anyone but Mako, his dad, or possibly one of those ridiculous dog boarding houses. But Mako was leaving to visit Pentecost in the morning, Chuck's dad wasn't even in the country — off on some important meeting or other — and there were no vacancies at the dog boarding houses.

That left the Wei triplets. But, since Chuck knew they would take it as an opportunity to dress Max up as Godzilla and feed him Cheetos and Root Beer, he felt understandably reluctant to leave his precious dog in their incapable hands.

Mako was the one who had suggested Raleigh, when Chuck was getting more and more agitated and had started considering cancelling the whole thing, grades be damned. While Chuck knew that Mako adored Max and would never recommend someone she didn't think was fully capable of taking care of him, Chuck was still wary. This, he felt, was completely understandable, all things considered.

"What kind of name is Raleigh anyway?" Chuck asked out of the blue, not denying that he was beginning to get just a tiny bit petty. That was still better than admitting that he was nervous about seeing Max off with someone he wasn't sure if he could trust, since it made him feel like a doting mother who wouldn't let her young ones cross the street without supervision.

It was only for two nights and Max wasn't a difficult dog. Sure, he was almost ignorant in his friendliness — not always stopping to identify friend from foe — and his farts were possibly lethal, but what could possibly happen?

A lot, according to Chuck's vivid imagination.

Mako was studiously ignoring him — as she had a tendency to do whenever Chuck was getting whiny for childish reasons — and instead broke out into a wide, brilliant smile while waving to a figure in the distance. Raleigh, Chuck supposed, but he wasn't all that interested.

Or, well, at least he _wasn't_ — until the guy came within reasonable distance and Chuck could take him in for the first time.

The only vaguely coherent thought that popped into Chuck's head when he saw the windswept, blond hair and bright, charming smile was that he wouldn't mind fucking Mako's friend after all. Which probably wasn't a good way to start a conversation, even when you were as socially inept as Chuck.

He had limits. Sort of.

So he kept his expression carefully schooled while Raleigh walked up to them, looking cheerful enough for two. His eyes were blue — of course they fucking were — and he was a tiny bit taller than Chuck, dressed in a coat that had seen better days and a blue scarf that only made his eyes look all the brighter. He was either as stupid as Chuck for not wearing a hat, or not bothered by the cold. Chuck was willing to bet on the latter, even if it annoyed him immensely that he was the only one who couldn't dress appropriately.

"Hi! You must be Chuck." Raleigh's smile was of that contagious kind that Chuck loathed, because he didn't want to smile at this blond, blue-eyed dork. He was stupidly handsome, sure, and hotter than Chuck thought was entirely fair, but he was handing over his dog to this man — he couldn't let himself be distracted by a pretty face.

Still, he knew that it was better to be polite. Mako was overseeing the conversation with that steady and vaguely frightening competence of hers.

"Yeah, nice to meet you." Chuck shook Raleigh's gloved hand and offered a brief smile that was a little tight around the edges. Raleigh didn't seem to find that insulting and instead looked down at Max, who was already sniffing at Raleigh's boots. He looked incredibly intrigued to be given a new person he could slobber with drool and corrupt through puppy eyes and helpless whines.

"And Max, I presume?" Raleigh crouched, tugging off his glove and holding out his hand for Max to sniff. Max did, rumbling from pleasure when Raleigh started scratching his ear.

Okay, so maybe the bloke didn't seem completely unaccustomed to dealing with dogs. Chuck felt himself relax marginally.

"Everything you need is in the bag—" Chuck nudged said bag with his boot, "—and you'll find a note with my phone number in there too, just in case anything happens."

Raleigh smiled and straightened.

"Sounds good to me." He looked relaxed and confident. Dependable. "Anything else I should know?"

Chuck wasn't sure, to be honest. He didn't usually hand Max over to people he didn't know. Come to think of it, he rarely did so with people he _did_ know. At least not for more than a couple of hours. Still, he told himself that everything would be fine — if he did it frequently enough, he might even begin to believe it.

"Not really, no. He behaves most of the time."

And Chuck had already written down feeding instructions on the same note where his phone number was. He was pretty sure that he'd thought of everything.

He still felt his chest squeeze when he looked down at Max, trying to picture what the next two days would be like. Had he ever been away from Max this long before? If he had, he couldn't remember.

Chuck took a slow breath before looking back up at Raleigh. "How much do I owe you?"

Raleigh looked surprised for a second, as if the concept of receiving money for a service was unheard of.

"Oh, don't worry — you don't have to pay me." The smile was back, more reassuring and kind than ever. "I'm just glad to be able to help out."

Jesus bloody Christ, was this guy for real? Did he volunteer at soup kitchens as well? Rescue puppies and kittens? Sure, most of the generosity was probably thanks to Mako, but it was still a pretty big favour to offer someone they didn't know.

Chuck didn't like being indebted to people.

Then again, Raleigh probably wasn't the kind of person who would ever use that against him.

"If you say so," Chuck replied, somewhat warily. But he wasn't going to argue — more money left for him.

He was still hesitant to hand over the leash. He knew that he couldn't linger much longer, since he needed to get home and pack the last few things before heading for the airport. But it felt, well, _scary_ to leave Max in someone else's hands. Especially when Chuck wasn't sure if he could trust them.

Raleigh _looked_ incredibly trustworthy, though — not to mention patient, calm, and friendly — so Chuck knew that he could be a lot worse off. And Mako trusted the guy. That was something.

Max looked on curiously as Chuck handed over the leash, but wasn't late to move in for a slobbering kiss when Chuck squatted down next to him.

"Hi there, handsome," he mumbled, kissing Max's head. "You're going to stay with Ray for a while, okay?"

"Raleigh."

Chuck merely glanced up at the correction, fighting an urge to roll his eyes.

" _Rah_ leigh is going to take great care of you, and I'll be back before you know it. You make sure to behave." Max tilted his head to the side, clearly not understanding much of the conversation. Chuck felt his heart constrict and he had to stop himself from clinging to his dog like a ten-year-old kid.

This was a lot harder than Chuck had expected.

He gave Max's head another kiss before straightening, pinning Raleigh with what he hoped was an intimidating glare but, considering how unbalanced he felt, he wasn't sure if he was actually successful.

"Call if anything happens, alright?"

Raleigh nodded, his expression serious. "Of course."

God, could the bloke stop being so bloody perfect? It was beginning to get annoying.

Chuck shoved his hands into his pockets, partly to keep himself from snatching back Max's leash and partly because his fingers were stiff from the cold. He really should have brought a pair of gloves.

"Alright, I'm off. It's fucking freezing out here." Chuck didn't need to see Mako's face to know that she was giving him a deadpan stare.

"It's not so bad." Raleigh shrugged. "It was colder where I grew up."

Chuck shot him a sullen look, not the least bit interested in having his suffering downplayed.

"It's bad enough," he replied. "We can't all be from Canada, or wherever the fuck you're from."

"Alaska."

"Same thing."

Raleigh had the time to frown and open his mouth — no doubt to inform Chuck that he was wrong — before he seemed to realise that Chuck was a big enough arsehole to have said that intentionally. The look Chuck received was exasperated and maybe just a tiny bit annoyed, which made Chuck feel a lot better about this whole thing, strangely enough.

At least the guy wasn't an idiot or a pushover, even if he had a really stupid-sounding name.

Maybe Chuck shouldn't antagonise him, but it was a reflex by then. Besides, Raleigh looked like too nice of a guy to get upset about some simple teasing.

"Well then, good luck on the interview and have a nice flight," Raleigh said.

"Yeah, and... thanks. For helping out, I mean." Chuck might have gotten slightly stuck on the word, but he knew it had to be said. He _was_ grateful.

"You're welcome." Raleigh's smile softened into something warm and delightful that made Chuck's entire being want to hum from pleasure.

Was it okay to have the hots for your dog sitter? When said dog sitter was also your friend's best friend?

Chuck wasn't nearly well versed enough in social conventions to know.

So he settled for a respectable nod and tried to ignore that Mako was hiding a smile behind her hand. She might _look_ innocent, but she was fucking _devious_ and Chuck would rather not know what was running through her head. At this point, the only thing he wanted to do was to survive the coming two days without anything happening to his dog.

If not, he would rip Raleigh limb from limb, pretty face be damned.

 

* * *

 

The hotel was surprisingly nice, even if Chuck didn't exactly care. He had stayed at a lot of different hotels and other temporary lodgings as a kid, so it had lost its charm years ago. Impersonal hotel rooms mostly reminded him of his dad working too much and Chuck feeling angry and alone, which was just depressing.

It didn't take long to get settled and he spent the evening channel surfing and trying not to wonder how Max was doing. On the plane he'd realised that he'd forgotten to ask for Raleigh's phone number, so he couldn't actually check in. Well, he _could_ get the bloke's number from Mako, of course, but Chuck was self-aware enough to know that if he did, he would only end up nagging Raleigh to death. It seemed counterproductive, under the circumstances.

Chuck had just given up on the evening and crawled into bed when his phone pinged.

He couldn't help feeling a clench of dread when he picked up his phone from the bedside table. Raleigh would call instead of sending a text if something serious had happened, right?

_'Is Max allowed to sleep in your bed?'_

Chuck couldn't help that his eyebrows rose in both surprise and confusion. What kind of question was that? Neither of them were anywhere near Chuck's bed. Not that he would mind introducing Raleigh to it, but Max would preferably not be a part of the proceedings.

He pushed the thought aside before beginning to type out his reply. He was about halfway through before he realized that it would probably be easier to just ring the guy.

Raleigh picked up in a matter of seconds, so he must have had the phone close by.

"Oh, hi. I wasn't sure if you were still awake." Raleigh sounded surprisingly delighted, though, which Chuck tried to ignore.

"What's this about Max and my bed?" he asked, trying to focus on the reason he called rather than whether or not Raleigh was happy that he had.

"Yeah, you see, I just went to bed and he keeps trying to follow," Raleigh replied, sounding both amused and a little helpless. "I'm telling you, resisting is difficult when he looks at me like this."

Chuck snorted on a laugh. He settled more comfortably against his pillows, trying his best not to imagine whether or not Raleigh was doing the same. It felt weird knowing that they were lying in their separate beds, talking over the phone. That probably wasn't something you should be doing with a guy you had only met once, earlier that same day.

"Well, not officially. But he's a sneaky bastard so either you let him up now or he'll jump up once you've fallen asleep." Chuck knew that he should never have allowed that kind of behaviour — he was very good with Max's other rules — but this was one of those things that he hadn't been able to deny _himself_. He liked having Max curl up next to him like a small, portable furnace. Chuck added, "Or shut him out of the room. He'll survive."

"Devious little bastard," Raleigh mumbled, before Chuck heard a sound he assumed was Raleigh patting the bed. "Come on then. Get in here."

Chuck was utterly ashamed to admit that he was jealous of his dog.

"So the interview is tomorrow, right?"

Chuck was a little surprised that Raleigh asked now that their business was over, but he couldn't say that he minded. It was better than having to hang up and wait for sleep to arrive.

"Yeah, at ten."

"Feeling nervous?" There was a slightly teasing edge to Raleigh's voice.

Chuck smiled, staring up at the ceiling while adjusting the grip on his phone. "Not really. Mostly because I don't actually want it."

"Why not? I thought it was a really prestigious company?" Raleigh asked.

"It is," Chuck confirmed, "but I don't want to tie myself to one just yet, no matter how prestigious it is."

Why was Chuck telling Raleigh this? It had to be boring as fuck, not to mention that Chuck didn't have a habit of discussing his future life choices with virtual strangers.

"Seems reasonable." There was a muffled sound on the other end, followed by a quiet laugh. "Does he always do that?"

Raleigh had a really nice laugh.

"Insist on using your feet as a pillow?" Chuck was trying to remember how to keep his voice even — and breathe, for that matter. "Yeah, he does that a lot."

They might be hundreds of miles apart but this still felt achingly intimate.

"I hope I don't kick him in my sleep." Raleigh's voice shouldn't be allowed to be that soft and affectionate. Chuck had to remind himself that he didn't actually know this guy, even if it felt like he might as well be lying right there next to him.

God, Chuck wished that he was.

Chuck swallowed, smiling faintly. "Even if you do, he'll live — he has every time I've accidentally done it. He's got a thick head."

"I'll trust your judgement."

Chuck licked his lips and ran a hand through his hair, still staring up at the ceiling but without really seeing it. His heart was racing, just a tiny bit, and he felt the beginning of something warm and excited build in his gut.

Shit.

Best not go there.

"Anything else?" he asked, even if he didn't mind talking to Raleigh.

"No, that was basically it. Sorry if I woke you — or kept you awake."

A slight pause, which felt surprisingly loaded for some reason Chuck couldn't quite pinpoint. It had to be his imagination.

"Good luck tomorrow," Raleigh said, voice low — almost gentle.

"Thanks," Chuck replied automatically. He swallowed. "Good luck with Max."

Raleigh laughed. "Thanks, but I think you're going to have a rougher time than me."

Chuck smiled crookedly. "I don't doubt it."

Was Chuck stalling? It felt like he was stalling. He _wanted_ to stall. He should have hung up long ago, but for some reason he wanted to keep talking, even if they were running out of things to say.

Chuck wasn't used to being this eager to speak to someone and it frightened him. Attraction was one thing, but attachment another.

"Well, goodnight, then," he forced out, even if he didn't actually want to say goodbye. It was the wise thing to do, however, since it was already fairly late and both of them had to get up early in the morning.

Chuck still felt unreasonably disappointed when Raleigh replied, "Yeah, goodnight."

Chuck waited a beat before he finally hung up but, even when he had, he couldn't help lying there, staring up at the ceiling with the phone resting against his chest. Was that really common practice when you had someone watch your dog for you? Chuck had had actual relationships that had seemed less intimate than that conversation.

But maybe he was overreacting? Or maybe it was just him?

Yeah, that had to be it.

 

* * *

 

Chuck was both grateful and not very grateful to receive a photo of Max's ugly mug when he was on his way to the boring interview. The attached text Raleigh had written said something about good luck and Max behaving so far, but Chuck was too busy trying not to miss his dog to really take note. Raleigh was considerate, though, Chuck had to give him that, not to mention surprisingly supportive.

On the whole, Chuck's day sucked.

The beginning wasn't so bad, when he was taken on a tour of the buildings and labs — that was actually fascinating and something he was interested in — but Chuck wasn't exactly skilled at civil conversation. The break for lunch was awkward until he managed to get the others to ignore the usual small talk and start boasting about their company instead. That kept them busy up until the interview itself, which, as far as he could tell, would have been a lot more rewarding if he had actually been interested in the job.

He answered their questions, sure, and tried not to be an arse about it, but he didn't want the position they were offering. Not yet, at least. He was flattered that they wanted to interview him — even seemed willing to wait until he had graduated to offer him the job — but it was a big commitment and he knew better than to accept just because they were the first to have shown interest.

Chuck might be arrogant and have a healthy dose of self-confidence, but it wasn't unfounded — not in this case. Someone would come along with a better offer in the future and he was in no hurry.

The suits at the company were clearly disappointed, but Chuck didn't care. He was just grateful to get out of the celebratory dinner they had planned, since there was nothing to celebrate. Chuck would have declined their offer on that alone, simply because he hated when people assumed that they knew what he would do.

It was in the taxi on the way back to the hotel that he was able to look at his phone for the first time in hours, cringing at how late it was. Most of the day had been an absolute waste, but at least he had done as he was told and been as polite as possible. That was to say, not very polite at all, but what had his teachers expected? Seriously?

Chuck felt a flutter in his chest when he saw two messages from Raleigh.

Was this a thing now? Chuck didn't mind if it was.

The first text was Raleigh asking Chuck to tell him how the interview went, whenever they had finished. The message had been sent around eleven that morning. The second was another photo, this time of Max lying sprawled on top of blond man, probably drooling all over his shirt. It clearly wasn't Raleigh, but the man had a passing resemblance to him. Both dog and man were sleeping on what Chuck assumed was Raleigh's couch.

_'Your dog is holding my brother hostage'_

Chuck snorted on a laugh and quickly squashed the flare of jealousy. Max still loved him best. He was typing out a response before he knew it, trying to deny that he was smiling. Raleigh had sent the picture almost two hours ago, but he was probably still waiting for a reply.

_'He doesn't seem very upset about it. I hope he's not an axe murderer or dog napper'_

Okay, Chuck sincerely doubted that, but it made him uneasy — just for a second — not having been told about this brother on beforehand. Chuck knew that was silly, but Max was one of the few firm points he had in his life. He wasn't sure what he would do if anything happened to that bloody critter.

The taxi was pulling up in front of the hotel when Chuck received a reply, but he made sure to pay and step inside the lobby before reading it.

_'You want to run a background check on my brother?'_

Chuck grinned as he stepped inside the lift, pressing the button to his floor without really looking.

_'Possibly'_

Raleigh's reply seemed amused, even if Chuck couldn't pinpoint how written text could convey something like that.

_'I doubt you'd do a better job at it or find something his current employers hasn't'_

Chuck frowned as he stepped out of the lift and walked to his room, trying to unlock the door and type at the same time. That clearly wasn't a skill he could claim to be very good at. In the end, he had to give up on the typing, but picked up again as soon as he was inside his room, still standing by the door.

_'And why's that?'_

The reply didn't come as quickly, giving Chuck time to slip the messenger bag from his shoulder and take off his jacket. He was debating what he would have for dinner now that he wasn't roped into eating with the posh company clowns, but found that he didn't particularly care. He had never been a picky eater.

Chuck was looking at his phone just seconds after it had pinged.

There was another photo, this one depicting Raleigh's brother — big brother, by the looks of it — holding up his credentials with an unmistakably amused look on his face. It was bordering on smug, even. And, well, Chuck could see why he would be wearing that particular expression.

The FBI was probably very careful not to employ serial killers. Or so Chuck hoped.

A quick zoom in on the photo gave him the brother's name — who the hell named their kid _Yancy_? — and Chuck couldn't deny that handsome apparently ran in the family. Yancy looked less like a puppy, however, which was probably a good thing if he wanted to be taken seriously within his chosen field.

_'Fine. He can stay'_

Chuck knew he didn't have much say in the matter — Raleigh had brought Max to his own apartment, after all, and if his brother was over for a visit, that wasn't any of Chuck's business — but he had a feeling that Raleigh would take it for the joke it was.

_'I'll let him know. So how did the interview go?'_

Chuck hesitated. A part of him knew it was probably wiser to just give a concise reply here and now, but there were other options — if he felt bold enough. Raleigh had seemed awfully friendly so far, so asking wouldn't hurt, would it?

It was mostly to prove to himself that he dared that Chuck typed out his reply, sending it before he had a chance to change his mind.

_'I'm going out to get some food right now. I can call later'_

Waiting for Raleigh's answer was nerve-wracking. Chuck's heart was beating much louder than it had any real right to do, and he felt excruciatingly nervous.

That message was pretty presumptuous, wasn't it? Raleigh might be watching Chuck's dog, but they weren't friends. Texts were one thing, but calls? Then again, it was more of an offer than a question, if that made it any better.

Did it?

Chuck exhaled slowly before reading Raleigh's responding text, when it arrived.

_'Sure! Yancy leaves around 8, so any time after that is good'_

It was almost funny that excitement could make breathing so difficult. Chuck was tempted to hit himself for the stupid grin he knew had to be on his face. Those words didn't mean anything. Raleigh was just being friendly.

But Chuck couldn't quite smother that growing feeling of hope and elation in his chest.

_'Talk to you later then'_

He didn't actually expect Raleigh to reply — especially not within a matter of seconds — but Chuck couldn't help feeling his heart give a delighted little stutter when he saw what Raleigh had written.

_'Looking forward to it'_

 

* * *

 

"So, what exactly did you tell your brother to get him to pose for that photo?" was Chuck's way of greeting when Raleigh picked up. It earned him a warm laugh that did all kinds of unspeakable things to Chuck's ability to focus — not to mention the butterflies in his stomach.

"Only that you needed to see his identification if he wanted security clearance to come within fifty feet of your dog," Raleigh replied, grin evident in his voice.

Chuck snorted. "Well, that would explain the look on his face. And also make him think I'm deranged, so thanks for that, _Rah_ leigh."

"You do that on purpose, don't you?" Raleigh accused. "Mispronounce my name."

It was impossible not to grin.

"Maybe."

"You are such a dick." His words sounded surprisingly fond, however, and Chuck had no idea how they had reached that stage so quickly. Usually, he made people angry with his silly antics, but Raleigh seemed to find them amusing — possibly endearing, even.

Chuck wasn't sure if he _wanted_ to be endearing, but it was better than to be an annoyance. Especially since he was growing rather attached to Raleigh.

It was difficult to remember that he had only known the guy for a little more than a day.

"And yet you allowed me to call," Chuck drawled. "But, to answer your earlier question, the interview was boring as fuck. They were willing to give me a job, but I made it pretty clear that I'm not interested in accepting anything yet."

There was something like a chuckle on the other end.

"Most people would jump at a chance like that." There was no judgement in Raleigh's voice, but it was obvious that he thought Chuck's decision was a little unusual.

Chuck made an effort not to sound like an arse when he replied.

"I know that. It's a great opportunity, but I don't like how they assumed I would accept their offer. They think that just because I'm young, I must also be desperate — or stupid."

"And you're neither."

"No, I'm not." Chuck was sitting on his bed, back resting against the padded headboard — which was surprisingly comfortable. "I just think there will be more options available for me in the future."

"And if there isn't, you can always go back to Australia and, I don't know, start growing kiwis."

Chuck frowned. "That's New Zealand, you idiot, not Australia."

"Same thing," Raleigh shot back, so smoothly that Chuck actually missed the obvious glee in his voice. He even got as far as opening his mouth to protest before he caught on and shut it again with a clack.

Ooh, nice one. Raleigh was apparently a lot sneakier than he looked.

"Well played," Chuck praised.

He could practically _hear_ Raleigh's grin.

"I thought you'd like that."

"Don't get too cocky," Chuck warned, but the amusement in his voice diminished the sharpness of the words. He cleared his throat. "So, I'm guessing that Max is doing okay?"

He had to ask. Of course he had to ask. Raleigh managed to distract him surprisingly well, but Chuck was still far too aware of Max's absence to forget it entirely.

"He's fine, yeah. Asleep at the moment." The warmth in Raleigh's voice made Chuck's chest tighten.

That was _his_ dog Raleigh was talking about. _His_ dog that Raleigh seemed so fond of. Was it okay to be proud of that? Or maybe hope that Raleigh would want to see the two of them again? Chuck would totally pimp out his dog if it got him closer to Raleigh, because he was an opportunistic arse like that. Also, he knew Raleigh would never hurt Max.

Funny how Chuck was so sure of that now, even if he hadn't been just a day ago.

"I mean, I can tell that he misses you," Raleigh continued, his voice more subdued, "since he's a bit restless, but he seems to have decided to just wait it out."

Chuck had to close his eyes and take a moment to swallow down the lump in his throat. God, he wanted his dog back so badly.

"Yeah, we haven't been apart much." Chuck's voice sounded hoarse, but Raleigh was gracious enough not to comment on that.

"When's your flight?" Raleigh asked instead, obviously deciding that it was better to change the subject. Chuck was grateful.

He cleared his throat. "Tomorrow morning. I would have flown back tonight if I could have, but everything was booked. So I'll be back around noon." He frowned, scratching a hand through his hair. "Do you have work?"

Mako had assured him that Raleigh wasn't busy — and he seemed to have been home the entire day, judging by the photo of Yancy and Max — but that didn't mean that he'd be just as available tomorrow.

"I have a couple of days off, so it's fine. Just give me a heads up when you're at the airport and we can meet at the park again?"

"Sounds good." Chuck felt the pressure in his chest ease somewhat, knowing that he'd soon get to see Max again. He wasn't quite ready to hang up, though. "What do you work with?"

"Construction mostly, but I do some other smaller jobs here and there, where I can find them."

There was a certain timbre to Raleigh's voice that was difficult to place, but if Chuck were to guess, he'd say it was joy — probably because Chuck was showing an interest and actually made an effort to keep talking. He didn't do that for a whole lot of people. But Raleigh, well — he interested him.

"Can I ask how you ended up in the States?" Raleigh didn't seem cautious, exactly, but obviously prepared to be shot down.

And Chuck could admit that he stiffened at the question, since it was one he usually refused to answer. It wasn't anyone's business why he had settled down even if his dad hadn't, because as soon as he told people why, they would understand just how much of his attitude problems and sarcasm was due to vulnerability. Neglect did that to you, and he didn't want people to see that weakness in him.

But it felt wrong to snarl at Raleigh. Chuck wasn't sure if he actually wanted to tell him, but it didn't seem as bad when he didn't have to see the look on Raleigh's face. The fact that they were on the phone made it easier.

Maybe if he censored it a bit?

Because if he flat out refused, the conversation would end and Chuck definitely didn't want that.

"It's a long story," he replied, trying to buy time.

"I don't mind." Raleigh's voice was light, but he had to know that they were on slightly uneven ground now. This subject wasn't quite as safe as the others.

Chuck was weighting back and forth, trying to make a decision.

When did he become such a coward?

"Alright," Chuck relented, before he had time to change his mind. "It all started in the big, beautiful land down below, also known as Oz."

Raleigh laughed. "Is this how you're going to tell the story? Should I get some popcorn?"

"Shut up and listen or I won't tell it at all," Chuck threatened, but he couldn't deny that a smile was tugging at his lips. When Raleigh didn't reply — probably looking all angelic and innocent while remaining dutifully silent — Chuck actually did smile.

How was he supposed to _not_ smile?

And sure, it took a while before the words started coming with any kind of ease — Chuck wasn't used to talking about himself — but at least Raleigh seemed to listen. He asked curious questions and offered his own stories when Chuck seemed to get momentarily stuck between his. It was surprisingly easy to talk to Raleigh, even if Chuck couldn't quite pinpoint why. Talking wasn't his thing.

But sitting there in his hotel room, phone pressed to his ear and a smile on his face, well, that made it a whole lot easier.

Chuck was in so deep.

 

* * *

 

This time, Raleigh was the one who stood waiting. Despite Chuck's eagerness to see Max, he'd had to drop by at home to leave his things and make a quick call to Mako before he'd been able to head to the park. Mako wasn't there to oversee the proceedings this time, but obviously wanted to be a part of them all the same — and to question him about the interview, of course.

Raleigh was smiling just as brightly as last time, Max's bag in one hand and the leash in the other. Chuck was still a fair distance away when Max noticed him and started barking, tapping his feet in excitement and tugging on the leash, trying to get closer. It was incredibly gratifying and Chuck felt that he couldn't be blamed for grinning like a dork.

He gave Raleigh a nod and, despite the distance between them and the fact that no words had been spoken, Raleigh seemed to understand what Chuck meant. Raleigh let go of the leash, allowing Max could run off, heading for Chuck as fast as his short legs could carry him. It was a tiny bit comical, but mostly adorable.

Chuck crouched down to greet his happily barking dog, almost getting knocked on his arse when Max didn't think to slow down before colliding with him. Chuck could do nothing but laugh, though, and submit to the overenthusiastic, drooly kisses.

"I'm happy to see you too," Chuck said, grabbing Max's head to be able to press a kiss on top of it.

He was aware of Raleigh coming to stand a couple of feet away, but waited until Max had calmed some from all the excitement before he looked up. Raleigh's smile was soft and startlingly affectionate. If it was directed at Max or Chuck was difficult to tell, though — perhaps both.

Chuck and Raleigh had spoken for _hours_ the night before. It was unheard of for Chuck to talk to someone that long, and even less so when on the phone. But with Raleigh it had worked. With Raleigh it had been easy.

Despite this — or perhaps thanks to it — Chuck could admit that he had been nervous to see Raleigh face to face again. He wasn't sure if that would change things and, if so, if it would be for the better or worse.

Raleigh seemed relaxed, though, dressed similarly to last time, except his coat was open to reveal the thick, knitted jumper he wore underneath.

"Welcome back."

Chuck smiled, grabbing Max's leash before straightening.

"Thanks." He wasn't sure what else to say and found himself staring at Raleigh like some lovesick fool. Which, then again, wasn't entirely unfounded, he supposed. "Thanks for taking care of Max. I'm happy to see that he's still in one piece."

"No problem. I quite enjoyed it, actually. He's a great dog."

Raleigh handed over the bag and Chuck accepted it, intrigued to notice that Raleigh hesitated for a brief second before actually letting go, as if he was reluctant to see the end of this meeting. Not that Chuck blamed him — he didn't want to, either — but he wasn't entirely sure what to say to postpone the inevitable.

He had been drawn to Raleigh pretty much from the get-go, mostly due to physical attraction, but, over the past two days, Raleigh had turned out to be so much more than that. He was kind and considerate, but still far from naïve. He wasn't afraid to stand up for himself or call Chuck out on his bullshit — like his quip about Alaska — and would probably not hesitate to get angry if Chuck misbehaved. With a temper as explosive as Chuck's, he needed someone who could match him step for step — someone who wouldn't back down just because things got a little difficult.

But he might be getting ahead of himself. Maybe Raleigh wasn't interested? It sure _looked_ like he was interested, but Chuck had been wrong before.

"I've changed my mind, by the way," Raleigh said, his expression turning grave.

Chuck stiffened imperceptibly, his heart missing a beat. That didn't sound good. Not that he and Raleigh had agreed to anything — not out loud, at least — but Chuck had gotten the impression that maybe their attraction had been mutual. Their conversations had all had an underlying tension and hints of flirting, hadn't they?

"Yeah?" Chuck wasn't sure if the word sounded as much like a nervous croak as he imagined. Max tilted his head to the side, though, so he definitely noticed.

"Yeah." Raleigh nodded, hands in his pockets. "I want payment after all."

Chuck wasn't sure if the swoop he felt deep in his gut was disappointment or relief. He covered it quickly.

"Sure, of course." That was the least he could do, even if his heart was sinking, slowly but surely. "How much do you want?"

"A cup of coffee."

"A cup of coffee?" Chuck echoed, despite knowing that he had to sound pretty dumb in doing so.

The smile spreading on Raleigh's lips was quite pleased.

"Yeah. You take me out for coffee and we're even."

"Oh," was all Chuck could think of saying.

He should probably have seen that one coming. A second later he chuckled, both because of how stupid he felt and how ridiculous Raleigh's smile looked. The man was such a dork.

"Okay." Chuck met Raleigh's gaze, trying not to smile too widely himself. "I can do that."

Raleigh beamed at him.

"Awesome. When's a good time for you?" There was no doubt what Raleigh wanted him to answer and Chuck saw no reason not to comply.

"Now?"

As expected, Raleigh looked even more pleased. "Sounds good to me."

It sounded good to Chuck too.

Max barked his assent.

 

**Author's Note:**

> [CarpeDentum](http://archiveofourown.org/users/CarpeDentum) was kind enough to beta, but I have changed things since then so I might have fucked up her efforts. I suck. The original post on Tumblr can be found [HERE](http://amethystinawrites.tumblr.com/post/115777396757/dog-sitter)
> 
> Until next time, my lovelies!


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